Service & Sacrifice: Suicide Warning Signs

A Navy veteran in East Tennessee who lost her military husband to suicide is sharing their story in an effort to help families facing similar struggles.

Author:
John Becker

Published:
9:30 PM EDT May 9, 2019

Updated:
9:30 PM EDT May 9, 2019

A happy beginning with her Navy husband turned tragic for Emily Hager.

“As time progressed, I realized he was isolating himself…wouldn't really reach out to friends that he had,” recalled Ms. Hager about her husband Kevin who took his own life three years ago.

Emily Hager

“It wasn’t as painful at first, it was just anger,” said Ms. Hager about how she remembers the early stages of her grief.

The most recent numbers from the Department of Veterans Affairs suggest suicides among military veterans amount to almost 20 every day. That is close to 22 percent higher than adults who haven’t served in the military. Those statistics are a couple of years old but leaders at the VA continue to identify “suicide prevention” as a top priority.

“I want people to know that they’re not alone. There was a point when I wanted to take my own life and I had a child. I don’t want people to be at that place and feel that alone,” said Ms. Hager who is also a Navy veteran.